This is a special musical presentation of When Peace like a River at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

This is a special musical presentation of Nearer, My God to Thee by Bob Borcherding on fiddle at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

This is a special musical presentation of Amazing Grace by Bob Borcherding on fiddle at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

This is a special musical presentation of Sing Out To God by the Summer Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

Sometimes I don’t like the way that the kingdom of God grows. But what is the kingdom of God? It is the place where God reigns or is in charge. I appreciate how Luther it explains it as heavenly and earthly. As people of God, we have one foot in each. Here on earth, we try and practice how we will live in the heavenly kingdom. Growth in the kingdom…

This is a special musical presentation of Rain Dance by Calvin Kadrofske on Marimba at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

Have you noticed that some people feel called to put themselves in the middle of conflict? Sometimes those of us are transitional or interim pastors can find ourselves there. I have seen some people run from it and others run to it. I feel that I am some place in between the two. My husband and I were members of a church where I began being the dir…

This is a special musical presentation of Majesty by Addie Thompson and Deb Borton-McDonough playing the handbells at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

What is sabbath or what is the sabbath day? Different religions have different days, thus we can’t say one day is totally right or wrong? Christians have said throughout history that Sunday is our sabbath. But what about Christian churches who have Saturday night services? At one point in our history, Sundays were strictly observed as “the sabbath”…

This is a special musical presentation of Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus by soloist Bob Nelson at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, MIchigan

When I worked on my pastoral counseling degree at the Moravian Seminary in Bethlehem, PA, I learned a new way of approaching scripture. It was to ask questions of the text in order to gain more understanding. In other words, what do I need to know in order to have somewhat of a grasp on the text. This approach works for me as I like to be a detecti…

This is a special musical presentation of Bless His Holy Name by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir and the Faith Bells at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

This is a special musical presentation of True Light! by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir with a solo by Christopher Lewis at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

We are doing many things in our worship service today. Each one is a different celebration. It is important in our community of faith to recognize those things that we can celebrate. Celebrations can also remind us of what we can be thankful for. We give thanks to God for our music staff and all that they do celebrate the gifts of all those who are…

This is a special musical presentation of Rain Down! by the Singing Sinners at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Today we are celebrating the Ascension of our Lord. This actually happened on Thursday, 40 days after Easter. It is when Jesus officially, physically, goes back home. Luke feels it is important enough to share it in his Gospel briefly and then in more detail in Acts. For the Gospel writer John, it was also important, as it was always death, resurre…

This is a special musical presentation of Shout Amen! by the Singing Sinners at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Even after the cutting and pruning we talked about last week, Jesus still comes back to love. The cutting and pruning is about letting Jesus clean up our lives in order that we can be more intimate, have a stronger connection with him. In today’s lesson, Jesus uses the example of the love that he has with God. From the Inclusive Bible we hear “As m…

Easter 5 B – 04 28 2024 In our Gospel lesson today, Jesus is trying to prepare his disciples for his departure. This part of the Farewell Discourses. Jesus knows he will be going home, and he wants his disciples to be prepared. This is a pastoral moment, reminding them that they will not be alone, as he says “I am the vine and you are the branches.…

This is a special musical presentation of Partnership of Faith by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:45-48 But what ha…

This is a special musical presentation of Gaelic Alleluia by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

This is a special musical presentation of Run, Mary, Run by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

In a few of the churches that I have served for a period of times during worship, people were given an opportunity to share God moments. God moments were where they had seen God at work in the past week. Another way we can ask the question is to ask, “Where have you seen Jesus this past week?” Often, what we hear and see news today it is often nega…

This is a special musical presentation of See What a Morning! by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Where are you finding and hearing ‘good news’ today? We are hearing it here today through the Word, music and Sacrament. But what about out in our world today? There are some days that we really need to strain to find it and hear good news. As our country gets heated up between now and November, we need to keep straining to find and hear the good n…

Manudy Thursday – 03/28/2024 Tonight, I am going to wash at least one foot symbolizing Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. Thus, it is important for us to understand at least partially why Jesus may have washed his disciples’ feet. This is not a practice at all churches on this night. Many people say, “I don’t want people seeing my feet”. I had neve…

This is a special musical presentation of All the Room Was Hushed and Still by Ryan Thompson at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

This is a special musical presentation of Hosanna, Hosanna! by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Last time I was here was the weekend of the birth of my Grandson – 6 years ago. So much has happened since then. Covid – change in pastors, and so much more. Through it all we pray and hope that Jesus has walked with you and me and that we have noticed his presence and we have shared him with others. I don’t often share personal memories in sermons…

This is a special musical presentation of Mercy by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Join us for the Lenten Service this evening.

What Wondrous Love Is This?! “This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made, we will rejoice, we will rejoice and be glad in it, and be glad in it…” For me singing this simple song is sometimes a helpful antidote in the days when my mind and heart seems dominated by harsh, sorrowful, cynical, judgmental, or angry t…

Join us for our Lenten Service at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

This is a special musical presentation of There Is A Green Hill Far Away by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Worship is about connecting with God in Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament there were a number of temples in Jerusalem. God gave King Solomon the task of building the first temple. It was a sacred place that specific sacrifices were carried out to God by a priest. It was where God was believed to be present, where God wanted to connect with people.…

This is a special musical presentation of Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Lent 2 – B 02/25/2024 Most of us have played the game, “Follow the Leader”. It involves making choices whether to follow a person or not over and through things. There are some whom you can trust to keep you safe, there are others whom you need to be careful with. We have many people today who say, come, follow me. What kind of criteria do we set u…

Join us for the Lenten Service this evening.

This is a special musical presentation of Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley / Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

Lent I – B 02/18/24 Our Gospel lesson today puts Jesus in the wilderness. It is not a wilderness that we are used to in our part of the country. In our wilderness we think of different kinds of trees, streams or lakes. It is a place where hopefully we can experience peace and calmness. This is not the wilderness that Jesus was experiencing. His wil…

This is a special musical presentation of A Clean Heart by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Ash Wednesday 02/14/2024 How can this be, Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday on the same day? The last time it happened was 2018. At first they really don’t seem like they go together. Valentine’s Day is supposed to be affirming love to people on all different levels of relationships. Ash Wednesday seems to be dark and gloomy and dealing true realit…

This is a special musical presentation of He Knows My Name by the Singing Sinners at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Transfiguration Sunday – 02/11/2024 Do we desire to know Jesus more intimately? You may say, of course all Christians do. What could that look like? Jesus does desire an intimate relationship with each one of us. One way to begin answering this question is to look at our experience in relationship with human beings. Some people only have one best f…

This is a special musical presentation of They Shall Soar Like Eagles by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Epiphany 5 – Healing Service – 02/04/2024 Today we are going to do something new. This is what the time of transition is about, trying new things. Can I see a show of hands, how many have ever been to a healing service? By the end of the service today, you can all say that you have. I remember my aunt and uncle taking me to one in Green Bay, Wiscon…